Like A Silver Screen Cliche - Rilex
by citrusorgans
Summary: Rian Dawson and Alex Gaskarth loved each other. In, y'know, the friend way.


Like a Silver Screen Cliché

Steam filled the tour bus after Alex's shower. Rian looked up from his phone as his half-naked best friend exited the bathroom. Desensitized by years of casually seeing much more than that, Rian turned his attention back to his twitter feed.

"Miley Cyrus again?" The drummer commented on the shower singing as Alex turned to go put on some clothes.

He chuckled in response. _"We caan't stop~!"_ Alex sang an encore loudly from the back of the bus.

Rian laughed, putting his feet up on the adjacent couch while he awaited Alex's return. He predicted the singer's outfit before he even saw it. Skinny jeans, hoodie, beanie. His varying degrees of style hadn't changed in years.

"Where is everyone?" The singer called, shuffling around for a scarf to spice the monotony up.

"Dunno," Rian shouted. "Jack said something about Jaime taking them out for drinks."

"It's Monday," Alex laughed.

"And it's eleven in the morning." Rian added, "Believe me, I told him."

"Stop being such a mom, Ri."

"I worry about my son."

Alex's laugh rang through the empty bus. Once finally dressed, he sauntered out to the lounge. He took one look at the couch, pointed at Rian's amused face, and flopped his ass right onto the drummer's expectant lap.

"Best seat in the house." Alex explained in a melodious tone that kept the atmosphere at a comfortable level of irony.

"Watch my dick," Rian warned, playing along.

"Oo, I'm watchin' it." Alex flicked through his phone as he sank into Rian's thighs. "It's currently several inches up my anus at the moment." He kicked up his bare feet on the empty cushion next to them.

Rian laughed and settled in, inhaling the smell of shampoo from Alex's drying hair. He nestled into the scarf hanging beneath the singer's five-o'clock shadow. Alex rested his cheek on this side of Rian's head while they both scrolled through their phones without a single thought.

Alex and Rian loved each other. In, y'know, the _friend_ way. They were best friends, everyone knew that. The best of friends. The kind of friends that cuddled when they were lonely and smooched when they were happy. Friends. Best Friends.

Their kisses were always innocent; simple pecks on the lips and cheek. Alex would lean over at the sight of a camera lens, puckering up and touching his mouth to Rian's face for the duration of the click. While Rian filmed Keeks for the fans, Alex swooped in whenever he could, wrapping his arms around the drummer's waist and kissing his mouth with an exaggerated _Sssmack!_ The joking around would be fine if it weren't for one small complication. Rian Dawson was head-over-heels in love with Alex Gaskarth.

And Alex didn't really feel the same way.

The reality of it made Rian feel like a rock had sunk to the bottom of his stomach. Alex did that to his stomach a lot. He filled it with a sickening mix of excitement and disappointment each time the singer made a sarcastic comment about touching Rian in some inappropriate way.

"I'm gonna make out with Rian tonight!" Alex would yell to a crowd of elated teenagers.

"Rian can't sit too close to me or I'll get a massive boner." He'd inform a talk show host pointing a camera in their direction.

"Rian, hot damn. You look fucking good." Alex blew him a kiss from across the stage. "Can I take your virginity after the show?" The microphone echoed his words onto a million eager ears.

Rian laughed it off. He always did. His poor stomach was suffering from a bad case of Too Good To Be True every time he felt Alex near him. The hugging made his heart pound. The kisses absolutely killed him.

"Have any of you…" An interviewer would ask, "Developed feelings for one another?" The question left that awkward pause, as the topic of romance amongst band members did. Alex was diplomatic about it. As lead singer, and arguably the most desirable member of All Time Low, he'd been matched up with any combination of musicians, both in and out of his own band.

"We all love each other." became the default answer. The phrasing automatically shut down curious fans. It implied familial ties between the band and Nothing More. The kind of answer that left the recipient feeling touched by the pure bonds of friendship, and admittedly frustrated by the verbal maneuvering of _no-no_ topics.

Those questions were never taken seriously. No one wanted to spill the beans about who made out with which bandmate after a couple of drinks. They needed _some_ secrets. Stuff they could exaggerate and play out to make any fan giggle with excitement. But that's all they were. A shtick upholding the hypothetical romance between band members.

Rian often worried that's all it ever would be. The casual intimacy he and Alex shared was their default. If Rian screwed that up by saying he actually took it seriously, he could lose his best friend. The truth would scare Alex, weird him out. He'd stop the flirting. He'd stop teasing and kissing and holding him because he'd be afraid of giving Rian the wrong idea. What was once their favorite joke would become an atmosphere heavy with awkward small talk. They couldn't go back to what they had. It became too real. That's why Rian needed to keep the act going. He could make it last if he ignored his real feelings.

* * *

He ruined it all with a late night drinking game.

Curled up in the lounge, the two men had an open bottle of Fireball on the table while _Keeping Up With The Kardashians_ entertained them. Jack and Zack were out again, so Alex's suggestion to turn on E! Network was eagerly accepted.

"Okay, okay," Rian held up a hand to Alex's giggling face. "Okay, okay, okay…" A burst of laughter cracked between the two of them.

"Spit it out, man!" Alex demanded in a deep voice.

"Okay!" More laughing. "Every time… Kris throws shade… you gotta."

"Dude!" Alex gestured to the television. "That's like every… two seconds we can't—that's impossible… we're…" Alex fell back into Rian, pressing his reddened face against his drummer's chest. "… we're gonna die."

Rian chuckled and ran his hands through Alex's hair. He hummed into Rian's touch, wrapping his arms limply around his friend's waist. The drummer's face flushed with the alcohol rising in his blood. Before his brain had caught up, the truth rolled out of his mouth on a slurred tongue.

He kissed the top of his best friend's head on instinct. "I love you, Alex."

The singer mumbled the automatic response. "Love you too."

Rian's eyebrows knit together. Alex said he loved him, good, but… no. Not good. He was joking again. Or he was… saying it like in the way he loves his family, kind of love… That wasn't what…

"No," Rian shook his head, making him dizzy. "No, like…"

The pause in his tone made Alex sit up. His half-lidded eyes and pursed lips were all Rian could stare at.

"Like, I _really_ love you. Like… we're _not brothers_ , Alex, I don't… love you like… that." Rian's hand pawed at Alex's shirt. The singer stared at his best friend, sobering up enough to focus on the drummer's expression fighting through alcohol.

"I like..." Rian's hands moved to caress Alex's neck before pulling away. "…wanna _kiss_ you kinda love…"

Alex stared for a long time. His eyes fell in and out of focus, processing the information with a sodden head. Rian's expression looked on the brink of pleading, his dark eyebrows pinching together in worry.

"You're drunk, buddy." Alex murmured after a while. He placed a hand on the soft hair atop Rian's head.

The drummer chuckled and pulled the hand against his chest. "You are too."

"Yeah," A light laugh blessed the air. "We are… _very drunk_." Alex pulled their tangled hands to his lips and kissed Rian's fingers. "We should sleep, Ri."

Rian nodded, and tightened his grip on Alex's hand when the singer attempted to break free.

"You gonna let that go?" Alex asked with a gentle tone.

Rian shook his head. Alex let out a short sigh and kissed his cheek.

"Okay," He whispered. "C'mon." He moved a few pillows to the end of the couch. Rian settled in, wrapping his arms around him when the singer cuddled into his chest without a word.

Rian stared at his best friend as Alex switched off the television and pulled up a blanket to cocoon them together.

"…I mean it, y'know…" Rian mumbled, touching fingers lightly to Alex's hair.

"I know you do, Ri."

* * *

The sunshine flooding into the bus made Rian's eyes burn the second he woke up. He let out a long groan as he stretched, stopping when he felt weight next to him. Alex jostled with the movement and let out his own quiet moan. He'd been tucked against Rian's torso the whole night, long legs sticking off the couch.

"Mornin'." The singer crooned. He propped himself up on his arm, rubbing his brown eyes. "That was some good sleep." He pulled the blanket up to his chin with a satisfied look on his face. "I like when you're the big spoon."

The sarcastic flirting brought the memory of last night rushing back into Rian's mind. The weight of what he'd said punched him in the gut and shook him fully awake.

"Oh my god," Rian sat up and backed away, leaving Alex blinking at him from the other end of the couch. "Alex, did I… Do you remember…?"

Alex stopped whatever long-winded apology or excuse Rian was about to ramble off. He just nodded slowly, sympathetic grin forming on his face.

Rian felt his heart drop. His guts throbbed as embarrassment ran through him in waves. The gravity of what he'd done slammed onto his back and filled his entire body with regret. He'd broken it. Their friendship was finally ruined. All it took was a few shots of whiskey to get Rian to fuck up the only wonderful thing in his life. They'd never be close again. Alex hated him. Alex was so weirded out right now and nothing could stop this horrible feeling as it stabbed him in—

"I'm in love with you too, Rian."

There was a few seconds of silence before Alex clarified, a casual smirk gracing his features. "Like I wanna kiss you, kind of in love with you."

Heat rushed to Rian's face. His breath caught in his throat and his stomach flipped again. A genuine feeling of happiness and satisfaction filled his insides. A perfect smile blossomed on Rian's blushing face. Relief washed over him and, despite his better judgment, he started laughing. It wracked his shoulders for a good thirty seconds, feeling his muscles release every bit of tension his own worries had built up.

"You're such a dick." Rian complained between laughter.

"Woah, hey now." Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Letting me make a drunken fool out of myself…" The drummer chuckled. He ran a tired hand over his red face. He sighed deeply and let his head fall. Of course Alex was in love with him. He wouldn't have flirted with Rian for twelve years if he wasn't. He cared for him more than anyone else in his life and what did Rian think it all was? Just bros being bros, bro.

Rian huffed and looked back at Alex. The singer was smirking from ear to ear. He laid on his back, pillow lifting his head up just enough to aim a suggestive look in his best friend's direction. Rian could swear he read the words right off of Alex's shit-eating grin. _I love you, ya' dingus. What're you gonna do about it?_

"For the record," Rian finally moved. He slid his body across the couch. "I didn't say I was _in_ love with you." As he spoke he inched closer to Alex. His familiar scent welcomed Rian back. Their legs intertwined again. The slow movements brought their bodies to fit together as they always did. "Just that I loved you." He whispered. Rian supported himself on top of Alex. "Way to put words in my mouth."

Alex snorted. "Oh, uh, um, uh, yeah okay, well." His smile shined through his mocking tone. "I'm gonna put something else in your mouth if you get any closer to me." His hands found their way around the drummer's neck and played with his finer hair.

"Is that a promise?" Rian tilted his chin, touching their noses together.

"C'mere and I'll prove it."

Their first real kiss sent electricity coursing through their bodies. Their mouths fit together effortlessly. Alex cupped Rian's unshaven jaw as the drummer hummed against his mouth. Rian pressed into his warm body, tracing his hand up Alex's waist. Their feet played together and their fingers intertwined as they gave into the passion driving their lips. Every action released their years and _years_ of shameless flirting. Rian recalled all the times he'd been _this close_ to kissing Alex the way he was now. How his own doubts and fears held him back. How could something this wonderful make him so nervous?

Rian bit Alex's lip. The singer moaned in that godly voice of his and Rian grabbed at Alex's hair. Alex's fingernails dug into Rian's toned back. They fell into a pattern of kissing, grinding, licking, grabbing and moaning. Their bodies, in their seamless rhythm, sent signals of approval all the way up their spines. _This_ was how Alex and Rian should fit together. _This_ was the way they were meant to feel.

They lost track of time. It had been only minutes—no, hours?—when they were inevitably interrupted. The groan of the bus doors being opened pulled the two of them apart.

Jack stepped inside and saw his two best friends in the most compromising position he'd witnessed yet. He stared for a beat. His eyes squinted as a funny look overtook his face.

"…Well," Jack ended with that and continued to his bunk like nothing had happened.

Rian and Alex glanced back at each other and immediately fell into laughter.

"I can't believe him." Alex wheezed, hands still pressed against Rian's chest.

Rian shouted to the guitarist now sliding into his bed. "It's eight a.m.!" He gestured to the clock and scolded his unfazed bandmate. "Have you been out all night?"

"Oh my god," Alex giggled into Rian's neck. "Shut up, mom."

"He's your son too, you should be more concerned."

"Oh, oh, is that how this works?" Alex dug his grin into Rian's cheek. "Are we married now, dingus? Huh?" Rian laughed and wrapped his arms tighter around Alex's torso.

Jack let out a groan from his bunk. "Mooomm, my new stepdad suuucks!"

"Aye!" Alex sat up, shouting at the guitarist in his best impression of a hick. "What're you sayin' bout me, boy?" The singer stood, rushing over to a giggling Jack. "Take yer medicine, boy! Take it!" Alex smacked his friend with a pillow repeatedly.

"Ah!" Jack exclaimed through a fit of laughter. "Rian, Rian help! Daddy's hurting meee!"

Rian's chest hurt from laughing. His uncontrollable smile shone the brightest it ever had. Things would be okay between him and Alex. Things would be better than okay.


End file.
